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Wikinews interviewed author Amy Scobee about her book Scientology - Abuse at the Top, and asked her about her experiences working as an executive within the organization. Scobee joined the organization at age 14, and worked at Scientology's international management headquarters for several years before leaving in 2005. She served as a Scientology executive in multiple high-ranking positions, working out of the international headquarters of Scientology known as "Gold Base", located in Gilman Hot Springs near Hemet, California. Background Scie

British journalist Andrew Marr has angered bloggers by suggesting they are "inadequate, pimpled and single." Marr, who was formerly the BBC's political editor, also said that citizen journalism is "spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night". He made the comments at the Cheltenham Literary Festival, saying: "A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed young men sitting in their mother's basements and ranting. They are very angry people." Marr, who now hosts a flagship

Residents of a Leeds, England neighbourhood have requested help from a council because their neighbourhood is plagued by crime, overcrowding, and community tensions. Leeds City Council received a request for help from residents of Hyde Park, who said they were worried about the increasing level of anti-social behavior and worsening community relations. A report will be unveiled on Wednesday by a council delegation, highlighting the problems in the area. "The people living in Hyde Park come from widely different population groups... these grou

A United States federal court judge and Florida state court judge are enmeshed in a conflict against each other regarding a wrongful death lawsuit involving Scientology. A federal judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Steven Douglas Merryday, ordered Pinellas County Senior Circuit Judge Robert E. Beach not to intervene regarding appearance of an attorney in a federal court case involving Scientology. Lawyer Kennan Dandar is representing the estate of Kyle Thomas Brennan in a wrongful death claim against

Hurricane Otto has been downgraded to a tropical storm, and is expected to move northeast into the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend. Otto is the seventeenth Atlantic tropical cyclone and fifteenth named storm of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. It developed out of a previously subtropical storm after undergoing full tropical cyclogenesis. The National Hurricane Center, which is responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes, has reported that the storm will move away from l

Security officials in Pakistan have stated that "[a]t least seven militants" have been killed by suspected US drone strikes. According to reports, US aircraft fired four missiles in North Waziristan, which killed seven or eight rebels and destroyed two cars parked outside a building. An intelligence official informed AFP that at least seven militants were killed in the incident while three others were wounded. Two other officials from Miranshah confirmed the reports. The identities of those killed have not been confirmed. Officials said the ar

A judge in Baghdad, Iraq has cleared two men of murdering six soldiers from the United Kingdom. Hamza Hateer and Mussa Ismael al Fartusi had their case kicked out prior to trial owing to a lack of evidence; they were alleged to be involved in a June 2003 mob attack on a police station. At today's hearing, which had been postponed by a month to allow witnesses to travel, a panel of three judges spent three and a half hours to question those who were there. Sources disagree on the number of witnesses—between nine and eleven—none of whom said the

Red Bull drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber made a one-two finish from the front line of the starting grid of the Formula One 2010 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit, Japan. Lewis Hamilton crashed early in a free practice damaging his suspension, but was able to participate in a qualifying session using a spare car. Though Hamilton posted the third fastest time, he lost 5 places on the starting grid for a gearbox change. After Robert Kubica lost a rear wheel from his Renault car and retired from the race, it was Fernando Alonso who o

Animal rights activists have demanded that the largest coffee chain in the United Kingdom pull a new advertising campaign because they fear that it will encourage viewers to buy monkeys as pets. The demands are likely to irritate Costa Coffee, who are determined to turn over a larger profit that their arch-rival, Starbucks. Five animal welfare groups have demanded that the advert, which features a futuristic room full of monkeys attempting to use coffee machines, be withdrawn. In a letter to the Rainforest Alliance, the charities say that "th

Police have said that an explosion in a hotel garage in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, that sparked an evacuation of a large area was an act of vandalism. What was initially thought to be an explosion, at around 7:30am local time, forced police to shut off a major entrance into the area prompted the Clarion Inn, a two-story hotel, and surrounding buildings to be evacuated. A bomb squad were called to the scene, and an armored robot was sent into the garage to examine the scene. Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant John Romero said tha

A newborn baby girl in Malaysia has died after a macaque took her from her home, mauled her, and then dropped her off a rooftop. According to reports, the young girl was asleep in the living room of her home when the monkey seized her, carried her to the rooftop, and bit her face and neck before discarding her. After discovering the infant was missing, her family searched their home until they found her body outside the house. State wildlife and national parks director Ishak Muhamad suggested that the macaque was probably scavenging for f

A governor of the German-garrisoned province of Kunduz, Afghanistan was killed by a bomb attack in a mosque while attending Friday prayers in Taloqan. Faiz Mohammad Tauhidi, a spokesman for the governor of Takhar, confirmed that Mohammad Omar was killed by the blast along with twenty others. Up to thirty five may have been hurt in the attack, but the number of injuries is not yet clear. A Taliban spokesperson confirmed that the group was responsible for the bombing. Mr Omar was killed by a bomb as he was leaving the Shirkat Mosque. He was born